The great Michelangelo considered sculpture to be the foremost of the arts, since, in his opinion, the first sculptor was God, who blinded Adam from clay. Since ancient times, all the peoples of the world have had different forms and types of sculpture.
The main types of sculpture
Sculpture is usually subdivided into 2 main types: round and relief. The round sculpture is freely placed in space, it can be walked around and seen from all sides. Works of this type include a statue, a figurine, a bust and a sculptural group.
The three-dimensionality of the sculpture is a very important quality. When viewed, the image can be perceived differently from different points of view. For example, the famous "Menada" by Scopas, when changing the angle, seems to take another pose of a frenzied Dionysian dance.
Relief is a volumetric image on a plane that forms the background. Depending on the height and depth of the image, the reliefs are subdivided into bas-relief, high-relief and counter-relief.
A low relief is called a bas-relief, in which the image protrudes above the background plane by no more than half of its volume. Bas-reliefs were often found in the art of Ancient Egypt.
High relief is a high relief in which the image protrudes above the background plane by more than half of its volume. High reliefs of the Parthenon, depicting the battle of the gods and titans and the battle of the Greeks with the Amazons, are widely known. High reliefs also adorn one of the seven wonders of the world - the Pergamon Altar.
A counter relief is an in-depth relief. Most often it was used for making seals. One of the monuments to Anna Andreevna Akhmatova, erected in 2006 in St. Petersburg, was also made in the technique of counter-relief.
Classification of sculpture by content and function
In addition, according to content and functions, sculpture is subdivided into monumental, easel and small sculpture.
Monumental sculpture is placed on streets and squares, in city gardens and parks. It includes monuments, memorials and monuments.
The easel sculpture is designed for small spaces and close distances. It includes such types of composition as head, bust, figure or group. For example, the world famous bust of Queen Nefertiti can serve as a classic example of easel sculpture.
Small sculptures are intended for interior decoration. As a rule, it includes small figurines, as well as medals, gems and coins.
Sculpture is still one of the most popular types of visual arts. Sculptural works adorn the squares and streets of large cities, garden and park complexes and fountains, museum halls and ordinary residential interiors.
